Piano Pranks and More Jokes! A Collection of 8 Fun Solos for Elementary, Inspired by Jokes: Studio License
This adorable collection is full of fun! Encourage your students to read and share these jokes out loud! You’ll find jokes in the pieces but included is 4 more pages of JOKES! Notice that each piece is inspired by a joke (included at the top of the page or in the lyrics) - feel free to open a discussion about the title. Do they think it works? Are there double meanings..? What jokes would your students add? Could they write a song to describe it?
Even though we are having lots of fun here, there’s still serious learning going on: see below for the pedagogical purpose of each piece.
Knock, Knock: Kicking off the collection is a fun Knock, Knock joke - we are Just in time for a joke! C position. 4/4 time. Skill development: Staccatos. Left Hand cross over finger 2. Counting rests. Accidentals. Playing with a Duet.
Short & Long: Understanding opposites is so important. Here we have a feature with Staccatos & Fermatas. Skill development: SHORT: Obviously, it’s really short and explores Staccatos, and a cross hand Octave for Left Hand. LONG: Play this very slowly and using the Sustain pedal - listen to the blending of sounds. Make sure it takes a LONG time to play!
Run, Cinderella, Run!: All kinds of puns here, starting with Run, Cinderella, Run - like Run, Forest, Run (maybe the students are too young to know - that’s a joke for the teachers!) She’s running from the Ball (dance) but also running to score a Soccer goal! Skill development: Fast playing. Step wise motion but watch out for the skips! Cross over finger 2. Grace note and Octave lower at the end.
Mi Mi Mi!: Do you know the old cliche of singers warming up before the performance? Here’s a chance to introduce Solfège to your students with this super simple Cross hand Arpeggios. Skill development: Cross hand arpeggios. Different hand positions based on chords. Solfège.
Pirates are Pirates! ARRR! I had to include a fun Pirate piece here! If your students aren’t playing in 6/8 time yet, here is a simple one to learn by rote. Right hand never moves out of it’s position, while Left hand finger 2 crosses over.
Skill development: D minor position. 6/8 time. Counting. Left Hand cross over. Accidentals written in. Cross hand arpeggios at the end for a splashy ending!
“A” Tuning Fork: Have you ever heard the Orchestra TUNE up? You’ll hear lots of “A”s, since the strings on the Violin are G, D, A, and E. This piece focuses on a tonal center of A. Keep the Damper pedal on the whole piece and listen to the sounds it creates. Skill development: Having hands in different positions: RH in A; LH in G position. Left hand cross over Right hand for the Octave.
Do You Know Your Scales?: I couldn’t resist this one! I think your students will really enjoy it! Skill development: C Major scale with some twists and turns and C Major chord & G7 for fun punctuation! Left hand cross over as part of the scale - because I didn’t want to deviate from the regular scale fingering.
Really Low Key: If you know me, you know I LOVE the blues! This simple Blues is Low & Slow... Take your time, and make sure to notice the articulations! Feel free to say, “Yeah!” at the end of the piece! Skill development: Both hands in F & G positions. Repetitive rhythm with syncopation, played in a Swing style.
This is a STUDIO LICENSE: One purchase - One person is allowed multiple copies for students in their Studio. Thank you for honoring the creativity and work of the composer.
This adorable collection is full of fun! Encourage your students to read and share these jokes out loud! You’ll find jokes in the pieces but included is 4 more pages of JOKES! Notice that each piece is inspired by a joke (included at the top of the page or in the lyrics) - feel free to open a discussion about the title. Do they think it works? Are there double meanings..? What jokes would your students add? Could they write a song to describe it?
Even though we are having lots of fun here, there’s still serious learning going on: see below for the pedagogical purpose of each piece.
Knock, Knock: Kicking off the collection is a fun Knock, Knock joke - we are Just in time for a joke! C position. 4/4 time. Skill development: Staccatos. Left Hand cross over finger 2. Counting rests. Accidentals. Playing with a Duet.
Short & Long: Understanding opposites is so important. Here we have a feature with Staccatos & Fermatas. Skill development: SHORT: Obviously, it’s really short and explores Staccatos, and a cross hand Octave for Left Hand. LONG: Play this very slowly and using the Sustain pedal - listen to the blending of sounds. Make sure it takes a LONG time to play!
Run, Cinderella, Run!: All kinds of puns here, starting with Run, Cinderella, Run - like Run, Forest, Run (maybe the students are too young to know - that’s a joke for the teachers!) She’s running from the Ball (dance) but also running to score a Soccer goal! Skill development: Fast playing. Step wise motion but watch out for the skips! Cross over finger 2. Grace note and Octave lower at the end.
Mi Mi Mi!: Do you know the old cliche of singers warming up before the performance? Here’s a chance to introduce Solfège to your students with this super simple Cross hand Arpeggios. Skill development: Cross hand arpeggios. Different hand positions based on chords. Solfège.
Pirates are Pirates! ARRR! I had to include a fun Pirate piece here! If your students aren’t playing in 6/8 time yet, here is a simple one to learn by rote. Right hand never moves out of it’s position, while Left hand finger 2 crosses over.
Skill development: D minor position. 6/8 time. Counting. Left Hand cross over. Accidentals written in. Cross hand arpeggios at the end for a splashy ending!
“A” Tuning Fork: Have you ever heard the Orchestra TUNE up? You’ll hear lots of “A”s, since the strings on the Violin are G, D, A, and E. This piece focuses on a tonal center of A. Keep the Damper pedal on the whole piece and listen to the sounds it creates. Skill development: Having hands in different positions: RH in A; LH in G position. Left hand cross over Right hand for the Octave.
Do You Know Your Scales?: I couldn’t resist this one! I think your students will really enjoy it! Skill development: C Major scale with some twists and turns and C Major chord & G7 for fun punctuation! Left hand cross over as part of the scale - because I didn’t want to deviate from the regular scale fingering.
Really Low Key: If you know me, you know I LOVE the blues! This simple Blues is Low & Slow... Take your time, and make sure to notice the articulations! Feel free to say, “Yeah!” at the end of the piece! Skill development: Both hands in F & G positions. Repetitive rhythm with syncopation, played in a Swing style.
This is a STUDIO LICENSE: One purchase - One person is allowed multiple copies for students in their Studio. Thank you for honoring the creativity and work of the composer.
This adorable collection is full of fun! Encourage your students to read and share these jokes out loud! You’ll find jokes in the pieces but included is 4 more pages of JOKES! Notice that each piece is inspired by a joke (included at the top of the page or in the lyrics) - feel free to open a discussion about the title. Do they think it works? Are there double meanings..? What jokes would your students add? Could they write a song to describe it?
Even though we are having lots of fun here, there’s still serious learning going on: see below for the pedagogical purpose of each piece.
Knock, Knock: Kicking off the collection is a fun Knock, Knock joke - we are Just in time for a joke! C position. 4/4 time. Skill development: Staccatos. Left Hand cross over finger 2. Counting rests. Accidentals. Playing with a Duet.
Short & Long: Understanding opposites is so important. Here we have a feature with Staccatos & Fermatas. Skill development: SHORT: Obviously, it’s really short and explores Staccatos, and a cross hand Octave for Left Hand. LONG: Play this very slowly and using the Sustain pedal - listen to the blending of sounds. Make sure it takes a LONG time to play!
Run, Cinderella, Run!: All kinds of puns here, starting with Run, Cinderella, Run - like Run, Forest, Run (maybe the students are too young to know - that’s a joke for the teachers!) She’s running from the Ball (dance) but also running to score a Soccer goal! Skill development: Fast playing. Step wise motion but watch out for the skips! Cross over finger 2. Grace note and Octave lower at the end.
Mi Mi Mi!: Do you know the old cliche of singers warming up before the performance? Here’s a chance to introduce Solfège to your students with this super simple Cross hand Arpeggios. Skill development: Cross hand arpeggios. Different hand positions based on chords. Solfège.
Pirates are Pirates! ARRR! I had to include a fun Pirate piece here! If your students aren’t playing in 6/8 time yet, here is a simple one to learn by rote. Right hand never moves out of it’s position, while Left hand finger 2 crosses over.
Skill development: D minor position. 6/8 time. Counting. Left Hand cross over. Accidentals written in. Cross hand arpeggios at the end for a splashy ending!
“A” Tuning Fork: Have you ever heard the Orchestra TUNE up? You’ll hear lots of “A”s, since the strings on the Violin are G, D, A, and E. This piece focuses on a tonal center of A. Keep the Damper pedal on the whole piece and listen to the sounds it creates. Skill development: Having hands in different positions: RH in A; LH in G position. Left hand cross over Right hand for the Octave.
Do You Know Your Scales?: I couldn’t resist this one! I think your students will really enjoy it! Skill development: C Major scale with some twists and turns and C Major chord & G7 for fun punctuation! Left hand cross over as part of the scale - because I didn’t want to deviate from the regular scale fingering.
Really Low Key: If you know me, you know I LOVE the blues! This simple Blues is Low & Slow... Take your time, and make sure to notice the articulations! Feel free to say, “Yeah!” at the end of the piece! Skill development: Both hands in F & G positions. Repetitive rhythm with syncopation, played in a Swing style.
This is a STUDIO LICENSE: One purchase - One person is allowed multiple copies for students in their Studio. Thank you for honoring the creativity and work of the composer.
